My why!

I was always the kid that played the “I have asthma card In school”. Yup, I never had to run because I didn’t want to. I decided my resolution for 2012 was that I was going to teach myself to run.

I started the couch to 5k program. It is 8 weeks and seriously is not hard. If I could not complete the week, I would repeat it until I could. My caution to you is that when I started I did it on the treadmill. Well, running outside is waaaaaayyyy different. The first time I went outside to hit the pavement I couldn’t run half a mile.

I started an outside 5k training (March 17, 2012) 10 days after my dad had a triple bypass. I can remember this day so clearly because my dad had complications from surgery and on day 10 they were transferring him to a different hospital near White Rock Lake. My training with Luke’s Locker just happened to be at White Rock, too. I didn’t know what to do…be with my unconscious dad as they moved him or start my training. My brother promised to stay with my dad and encouraged me to run as that is what my dad would have wanted.

Dad had a long recovery…total of 50 days in 3 different hospitals. But “my” running quickly became “our” thing. I would visit him at the hospital until he went to do his rehab exercises. I would run while he did his rehab and then we would reconvene to see how we did.

On day 50, dad went home from the hospital. 10 short days later, dad returned to the hospital. Shortly after he went on hospice and I never ran again…well the rest of 2012.

I started again in Jan 2013 but really got serious about July. I randomly posted a picture of my screenshot of my run and a Facebook friend suggested I do a half marathon for my dad. I thought…that is ridiculous…why would I run for someone that isn’t here? It took me about 2 months to decide that I should do a half marathon for my dad. I started training for my half marathon on Nov 18.